WAR OFFICE SCANDAL

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 55, 18 October 1887, Page 2

WAR OFFICE SCANDAL

ANOTHER FRENCH TROUBLE, A PRETTY LITTLE KETTLE OF FISH. TRAITORS TO THEtR COUNTRY. BOULANGER ANO OAFFREL ARRESTED Pahu, October io. The French Military Council have been prosecuting a close investigation into the chargo against General Oafl.rel, AssistantSecretary to the War Dapirtmant, who was accused of selling military decoration.. Tha Council has decided that Csgarel has beah guilty of very improper conduct, and it has been ordered that he shall be called upon to retire.

Whether this will be considered suflQcient punishment has not yet been made known, but it is believed there is some intrigue in connection with the affair, and that startling facts may yet oome to light. General Boulanger has made assertions to the effect that the Government were endeavoring to impugn his character when they caused General GaffurCl to be arresto j. M. Ferron, Minister of War, has taken offence at the General Boulanger's rash statemente, And as his superior has Issued an order calling on him to explain the meaning he intenis should be attached to the assettions he has made. Complications of a peculiar nature are expected to result.

October 17. On being charged with having made the remarks imputed tn him, General Boulanger admitted that Was substantially what he said, but it has not transpired whether the General has given the words any particular import. It is believed, though, that he has said the words should be inttrpreted from a political point of view—that he meant it was intended to depreciate him in the eyes of the people.

M. Ferron has ordered the arrest of Gene, ral Boulanger, who is to be kept under Strict military surveillance for the space of one month,

The matter is still under the consideration of the Cabinet.

There Is intense exoitement over the matter and the question has caused a fresh outbreak of some of that mad enthusiasm which prevailed here during the election crisis.

The Government depend a good deal for their support on being able to keep General Boulanger out of office, and this is stigmatised by some oi their opponents as an attempt to cripple his popularity. The German papers are jubilant over the affair, and the National Zeitung, a moderate paper, states that if the General is found to be implicated worse might perhaps happen to the country.

General Baublau, one of the officers implicated in the scandal, has disappeared, and it is supposed that he has committed suicide. Several society ladies have been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the scandal.

The following common's by the wi'ty “ Puff” will prove interesting io connection wi h the above s—

Generals Boulanger’ Mi ton, and Thibaudin are implicated in Caffirel'a frand 1 Ahah! What did I tell you ’ I felt sure Caft.relknew his way about! He's not the in n to go into a job of that kind singlehanded. I c m’t fancy a French officer having enough low canning for that! Caff.reUs not a Fr-nchmm! H«’« one of the numerous Italians whom Napoleon Iti. let into the French army for reasons of po icy after the cession of Savov in 1839 1 II s real name is C .fftrelli, and he’s risen from a cadet to a General, -and been a traitor all the time 1 Oh. tint quite al'efs the case! It's only fair play for Italians to defraud and betray the French I All th-y can do in that line won't be a circumstance to the way the French have rooked them I It’s pretty bad, though, Boulanger being in it 1 The Rt. Arnaud of the cafes, eh 1 Yea indeed I The galleys, ra hr I Jules Ferry might well decline to fight him 1 He might say fca draws the line at chevaliers d indiislrie I Perhaps it's only a false accus-tion, a political dodge to get rid of Boulanger or break down his influence! Do you mean that the whole thing's a put up j .b between the lot of 'em I Yes, and very likely Caffirel's in the swindle ! Merely employed by the Government to entrap and denounce Boulanger 1 Ha mnst he a high class scoundrel if that's so, but f think its drawing out rather too fine ? Qui I’iooa verra I How will he verra ? Why if Caffarel'a only a plant, you’ll see he won't ba punished ! But how can they possibly let him off, if h -’e proved guilty ? Oh, very easily I He'll ba oondemed of course, and then he'll swear he’s innocent and commit suie'de, and turn up in Spain under the name of Da Montmorenci, and get a snug billet in a consulate 1 And then the Government will compensate his wife for hi. Untimely death 1 Is it considered a grave crime, selling decoration ? Rather! It's a fine of 1000 franca and 12 months' hard labor even to wear the Legion of Honour without having gained it > But to sell decorations ! That’s one of the wor-t nf crimes I It outs aw.y the blggeat hold the Government have on the army I The Fre ch are so fond of yloire and all that, a bit of ribbon binds them stronger than chain, of steel ' I sup pose, if these ohap' are oonvicte I, they!! get some of the latter kind of decorations? Ye., they'll jingle jangle for a few years 1